In commercial battery plants, particularly those directly concerned with automotive battery manufacture, it has become rather commonplace to form, i.e., initially charge, large numbers of batteries as part of the battery manufacturing process. Traditionally, the installations or facilities at which batteries are formed are called "forming rooms". Therefore, as used herein the term "forming room" will refer to any commercial battery production facility where batteries having electrolyte therein are being charged in such a way as to convert the paste material on the positive plates to PbO.sub.2 and on the negative plates to sponge lead, and wherein such is being done simultaneously to great numbers of batteries, which coincidentially may cause substantial generation of such gases which generally comprise hydrogen, oxygen, and gaseous sulphuric acid.
Thus, as presently practiced, particularly in battery manufacturing installations, batteries are delivered to a forming room on some conveying mechanism, such as a conveyor, either before or after electrolyte has been placed or deposited into the cells thereof. In most instances, the batteries manufactured in greatest numbers are of the automotive lead-acid storage battery type, and although any desired and workable electrolyte solution may be utilized, it has become commonplace to utilize sulfuric acid in solution having a specific gravity within the range of 1.050 to 1.100 for conventional "two shot" formation and 1.190 to 1.265 for conventional "one shot" formation, which gravities may be varied depending on the desired final operating gravity to be obtained. The batteries are then connected to a source of current or a potential to cause electric current to flow between generally alternately spaced plates thereof, whereby the positive plate will come to be a lead peroxide surface, and the other negative plate will develop a sponge lead surface.
Early in the charging of the batteries in this manner, very little gases are given off. However, as the batteries approach a fully charged condition, as is often evidenced by the formation of bubbles at the cell openings, larger amounts of hydrogen and oxygen are given off along with traces of sulfuric acid, and often traces of other corrosive substances. For purposes of the present application, the hydrogen, oxygen and traces of sulfuric acid and any other corrosive substances are referred to herein as "battery vapors".
The hydrogen and oxygen components of the vapors are often substantial in quantity and have the potential for explosion if they accumulate in the battery forming room. Indeed, there has been at least one relatively recent serious instance of a fire and explosion caused by such accumulation of gases in a forming room. A more frequent problem however, is attendant to the presence of corrosive components of the vapors, such as is caused by small droplets that become entrained in the gases given off by the batteries and travel, as components of the hot gases, generally upwardly toward the ceiling of a forming room. Upon cooling slightly, such droplets condense and either drop down onto conveyors causing substantial corrosive action on various components of the conveyors, or else condense on roofs, and actually can destroy roofs as well as other machinery in the environment. These destructive aspects of the corrosive nature of the vapors given off by batteries are not insubstantial, and require periodic replacements of conveyors, roofs, as well as fans and other equipment in the forming room, most particularly at upper levels of elevation in the forming room. For example, because of the heat generated during battery formation as discussed above, and especially because of the heat generated and the usual presence of gases in a forming room, large fans having blades are utilized in order to maintain circulation and reduce the formation of hot spots. Generally, the presence of droplets of corrosive acids and the like is so prevalent in battery forming rooms, particularly at upper elevations near the ceilings thereof, that it has become relatively commonplace that fan blades become corroded and blades can actually fall apart during operation, creating a significant hazard to personnel in the forming room.
Even further, eventually the gases in the forming room must be vented to atmosphere, thereby placing into the atmosphere significant amounts of hydrogen and corrosive gases that can contribute to environmental pollution problems and the like.
Even more important, is the fact that, in a battery forming room, corrosive traces of the vapors condense and are deposited on equipment, personnel and the like, and may remain in the general atmosphere of the forming room for inhalation by workmen who connect the electrical contacts for charging the batteries, constantly monitor the progress of the formation, or place electrolyte in the battery cells, or the like. In any event, such is a possible condition the solution to which the present invention is directed.